New Syracuse Crunch coach Holick eager to bring a winner to town

Provided photoMark Holick is the new coach of the Syracuse CrunchThe Anaheim Ducks are painting a fresh new face on the Syracuse Crunch by giving control of the team to an AHL coaching rookie.
Mark Holick has been named the first head coach of the team in the Ducks-Crunch affiliation era. Holick, 41, was head coach of the Kootenay Ice of the Western Hockey League for the past three seasons and will be making his pro coaching debut when the Crunch’s 17th season begins this fall.
“I’m real confident that we can get this thing accomplished,” Holick said of succeeding in Syracuse. “I’m excited. I’m passionate about the game.”

Holick’s teams in Kootenay qualified for the playoffs in each of his three seasons there. In 2009-10 he was named WHL Coach of the Year after guiding a young Ice team that was expected to struggle to a 43-24-3-2 record.

“I do believe he’s a strong tactician. He understands the game very well. His teams are very well prepared,” said Bruno Campese, head coach of WHL rival Prince Albert. “He has the ability to get his teams to play at both ends of the rink. He does a good job of coaching the personnel he has at his disposal.”

Holick said he was prepared to return for a fourth season in Kootenay when he went to Anaheim to help coach a U.S. prospects camp in April. There, he met Ducks general manager Bob Murray. Murray asked him if he was interested in the job, and Holick said he was.

Mark Holick

What: Fifth coach in the 17-year history of the Syracuse Crunch

Age: 41

Background: Compiled a cumulative 120-75-10-11 record for Kootenay the past three seasons, leading the team to the playoffs each year. Prior to Kootenay, he spent 13 years as either a head or assistant coach in both the British Columbia Hockey League and Alberta Junior Hockey League.

Playing career: Played professionally in parts of four seasons from 1989-94, appearing in 142 total games with Adirondack (AHL), Louisville (ECHL) and Dallas (CHL), recording 30 goals, 43 assists and 635 penalty minutes.

Favorite player growing up: Darryl Sittler

Family: wife, Janet; son, Cooper, 14; daughter, Kennedy, 10
Hometown: Grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; moved to Penticton, British Columbia at age 15

Hobbies: driving his children around to their various activities; playing golf

Jobs outside of hockey: once owned a fast-food restaurant in Penticton “I was quite surprised, kind of flattered to be considered for something like this,” Holick said. “It’s something you strive for.”

Holick later returned to Anaheim for a formal interview, and he said the deal was sealed with Murray last weekend.

“With 16 years of coaching experience, Mark Holick has the proven track record we were looking for,” Murray said in a statement. “He had three great seasons in the WHL, including earning Coach of the Year honors in 2009-10, and is certainly qualified to take the next step.”

Holick, who worked as an assistant coach on Canada’s 2009-10 National Men’s Under-18 team, said he’s not concerned about his lack of pro experience.

“Hockey is hockey. I’ve been coaching junior hockey since 1994. It’s not like I haven’t coached at a high level,” he said. “The game’s the game. It’s important for us to get across to our players how we want them to perform.”

Left winger Dustin Sylvester, who played three seasons for Holick in Kootenay, cited communication as one of Holick’s strengths.

“He gives his players a lot of leeway. He can get angry. When he gets mad, everyone listens,” Sylvester said. “At the same time, you can also talk. I think everyone enjoyed Holly as a coach. He communicates well with his players. The players respect him a lot for that. I think he’ll do fine.”

Holick was a bruiser as a forward during his playing days in the AHL, ECHL and CHL, going about 6-foot-3, 215 pounds and compiling 635 penalty minutes in 142 games.

“He was a tough player. He showed up and played every day. He fought tough guys,” said Terry Virtue, his teammate with Louisville of the ECHL. “He had a strong personality. He was vocal in the room. He was an extremely hard work worker, which has probably carried on to his coaching. He’s been successful at every level he’s coached at.”

Holick (pronounced Haul-ick) described his coaching style as molding an aggressive puck pursuit team, one that either has the puck or works hard to get it back.

“I expect our guys to come to work every day, compete hard, compete for time, compete to get called up. You are rewarded for your hard work,” he said. “I think you want to stick up for yourself. You don’t want your guys to be undisciplined. If you run into other teams’ players often enough, you will probably have to answer the bell.”